Distillers United States
A one-page guide to the United States for the spirits trade: the country, its people, its economy and how it drinks.
At a glance
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
- Official languages
- English (de facto federal; no official language in federal law)
- Currency
- US dollar (USD)
- Time zone
- UTC-5 to UTC-10 (several zones; UTC-4 to -10 in daylight saving)
- Area
- 9,831,510 km²
People
- Population
- 341.8 million (2025)
- Population growth
- 0.5% a year
- Living in towns and cities
- 80.2%
- Aged under 15
- 17.1%
- Aged 65 and over
- 18.4%
- Life expectancy
- 78.9 years
Economy
- GDP
- US$30.77 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$90,027 (2025)
- Economic growth
- 2.16% (2025)
- Inflation
- 2.95% (2024)
Climate
Highly varied: humid continental in the north-east and Midwest, humid subtropical in the south-east, arid in the south-west, Mediterranean on the California coast, alpine in western mountains, and subarctic in Alaska. Large seasonal swings in Kentucky and Tennessee shape fast bourbon maturation.
Alcohol
- Alcohol is
- Legal
- Legal drinking age
- 21 (federal highway-funding incentive; all states set 21 for purchase)
- Alcohol per adult a year
- 9.57 litres of pure alcohol (2019)
- Traditional drinks
- Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey, Rye whiskey, Craft beer, Moonshine / corn whiskey
Sources: World Bank (population, economy and demographics), WHO Global Health Observatory (alcohol per adult and drinking mix); DISCUS 2025 economic briefing (2025 results); DISCUS Annual Economic Briefing 2026 presentation; 26 USC 5001 (excise rates); Alcohol laws of the United States; TTB (Wikipedia); UN Comtrade API; Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS); American Craft Spirits Association. Figures are the latest each source publishes; the year is shown beside each one.